The present invention relates to a method for troubleshooting an underwater acoustic transducer array, which comprises a plurality of spatially juxtaposed hydroacoustic transducers or groups of transducers, and is connected, via an electrical connection line, with a spatially remotely disposed transmitter and/or receiver. The transducers or groups of transducers, each comprising a plurality of individual transducers, are generally sealed, e.g. potted, and encased in an enveloping body which may be made of one piece with the sealing mass. The present invention also relates to an apparatus for carrying out the method of the invention.
Underwater transducer arrays of the above type cannot be tested when they are installed on board a ship. If there is a suspicion of malfunction, the entire underwater transducer array must be dismantled and checked at the factory by measuring its directional characteristic. On the basis of a comparison between desired and actual directional characteristics, it is then possible to approximately localize a malfunctioning transducer which can then be replaced after the underwater antenna has been disassembled. However, measuring the directional characteristic is still subject to very high measuring inaccuracies so that frequently a plurality of transducers must be taken out and checked separately before the actually malfunctioning transducer is detected. Such dismantling of a transducer or group of transducers is very time consuming and cost intensive.